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Shattering: Cadi & Gray
Cadi Hughes and Gray Callahan have been best friends for as long as they can remember, growing up side by side through scraped knees, schoolyard rivalries, and teenage dreams. From the moment Cadi first met Gray-a brooding, storm-eyed boy on his first day of Reception-she knew he was different. Over the years, their bond became unbreakable, a constant in a world that was always changing. Their childhood friendship blossoms into love, and as they grow older, they build a life together-marriage, careers, and a child, their son Tomos. But everything shatters when Gray betrays Cadi in a way that is unforgivable. The aftermath is devastating, leaving them both wrecked in ways they never imagined. As misunderstandings, resentment, and buried truths unravel, they must confront the painful Is their love strong enough to survive, or have they reached the breaking point? Caught between love and heartbreak, Cadi and Gray must decide-will they find a way back to each other, or will this be the end of everything they've built?
*Read on if you are worried about triggers like cheating. But this might spoil the plot
* No, no actual cheating. But there is a kiss which has an explanation. So ,if that is too much, its possible this is not the story for you.
*Read on if you are worried about triggers like cheating. But this might spoil the plot
* No, no actual cheating. But there is a kiss which has an explanation. So ,if that is too much, its possible this is not the story for you.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 11, 2025
451 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 17, 2025
This is on wattpad, I think the author will publish it eventually.
I liked it a lot.
The hero has a lot of past trauma, and he’s low on the trust department.
He and the heroine have always been in love, she has known his forever and they’re basically twin souls.
They’re both doctors and have a young boy.
One day the hero starts acting very weird.
He’s cold, distant not only with the heroine but with his child too.
The heroine sees him in his office while he’s flirting with a younger doctor, and she thinks he’s having an affair.
She confronts him.
He doesn’t deny.
She’s shattered, as the title says, because the situation has been building for weeks, and now she and her child are suffering because the hero, as he confesses, thinks she’s having an affair with a friend of theirs, who would also be the kid father.
The heroine becomes very cold, she asks for a paternity test at once, and the hero starts having doubts.
He’s been told by the heroines sister that the heroine has been with om while the hero was away for business.
And that the kid is not his, but om.
So, after the dna is out, which confirms he’s the child’s father, the hero starts groveling.
He realizes his huge mistake.
Btw, now the heroine wants a divorce because he’s cheated for revenge and because he was ugly with his own child.
It was actually very painful, more than the cheating part because he stopped talking to his child and the poor kid didn’t know why his father stopped caring for him. This was truly bad.
The heroine though,is not the revengeful type and tries to help him with the kid.
He also reveals he never cheated and never wanted to, but he wanted to hurt her so he let her think he was flirting with ow.
Ow tries to make mischief but the heroine is a strong and determined woman, no matter what, she won’t let anyone hurt her.
There’s more to the story.
The heroine has a secret too, not her but om, and this is why she’s not so angry with the hero. She lied herself. Or at least. She didn’t tell all the truth.
So, eventually all is well.
Good and angsty story with a twist, no cheating, and strong heroine.
I liked it a lot.
The hero has a lot of past trauma, and he’s low on the trust department.
He and the heroine have always been in love, she has known his forever and they’re basically twin souls.
They’re both doctors and have a young boy.
One day the hero starts acting very weird.
He’s cold, distant not only with the heroine but with his child too.
The heroine sees him in his office while he’s flirting with a younger doctor, and she thinks he’s having an affair.
She confronts him.
He doesn’t deny.
She’s shattered, as the title says, because the situation has been building for weeks, and now she and her child are suffering because the hero, as he confesses, thinks she’s having an affair with a friend of theirs, who would also be the kid father.
The heroine becomes very cold, she asks for a paternity test at once, and the hero starts having doubts.
He’s been told by the heroines sister that the heroine has been with om while the hero was away for business.
And that the kid is not his, but om.
So, after the dna is out, which confirms he’s the child’s father, the hero starts groveling.
He realizes his huge mistake.
Btw, now the heroine wants a divorce because he’s cheated for revenge and because he was ugly with his own child.
It was actually very painful, more than the cheating part because he stopped talking to his child and the poor kid didn’t know why his father stopped caring for him. This was truly bad.
The heroine though,is not the revengeful type and tries to help him with the kid.
He also reveals he never cheated and never wanted to, but he wanted to hurt her so he let her think he was flirting with ow.
Ow tries to make mischief but the heroine is a strong and determined woman, no matter what, she won’t let anyone hurt her.
There’s more to the story.
The heroine has a secret too, not her but om, and this is why she’s not so angry with the hero. She lied herself. Or at least. She didn’t tell all the truth.
So, eventually all is well.
Good and angsty story with a twist, no cheating, and strong heroine.
December 7, 2025
‼️SPOILERS‼️Now THIS is redemption, atonement and growth of character.
His pain was equal to and in many ways worse than hers.
The man shattered under the weight of his despair. He had to claw his way back to any semblance of a life before she even considered reconciliation. And even then she remained true to herself.
Kudos to the author for this.
‼️SPOILERS‼️because as usual, formatting is up to shite‼️
‼️Come back to refine this review, messy messy Beeg.‼️
I would’ve told him to fuck-off, but Cadi, the heroine has more class than me. This lady drew strength from somewhere deep within and by the time truths were revealed, his grovel was grovelling.
The book starts off with that painful gut-punch scene every good cheating book should have.
Oh, the angst. The horror and shock, the anger I felt on her behalf! I could feel my heartbeat while experiencing this through Cadi’s eyes.
…"Depends what ye mean by relax, Vanessa. But I don't get much time for it these days."
"That's a shame," she murmured, tilting her head. "I could help with that, you know."
Gray didn't shut her down. He didn't laugh it off or tell her to stop. He just smiled. "Maybe I should take ye up on that offer," he said, his voice lighter than it had been at home in weeks.
…
Gray's expression softened as he lifted a hand and gently tucked it behind her ear. It was such a small gesture. So careful. So intimate. Then, for a split second, Vanessa leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Gray's.
Cadi's pulse pounded in her ears, her fingers gripping the doorframe to steady herself. She willed him to step back, to move away. To tell Vanessa no. But Gray didn't step back. He didn't move away. Instead, he leaned down.
…
Vanessa tilted her chin up, her lips parting just slightly, expectantly.
The air between them crackled, charged with something undeniable. And Gray—her Gray—wasn't pulling away.
Cadi felt something inside her crack, the weight of betrayal slamming into her so hard she nearly staggered.
…
Spinning on her heel, she turned and fled.
That right there is cheating to me.
No one held a gun to his head. He wasn’t drugged.
He made a conscious sane decision to touch and engage in a non-platonic connection with another woman. It doesn’t matter that he staged that scene knowing his wife was watching; that he was just using her as a weapon to make Cadi jealous. To prove that he mattered to Cadi as much as she mattered to him.
So he allowed Vanessa to touch him, he touched her; albeit ONLY his arm and her hair. He was in her personal space. A married man is cheating when he’s deliberately intimate with another person. He says he didn’t kiss her; that he’s only ever slept with Cadi and I believe him. But he admits Vanessa flirted with him yet he never took it seriously, until this day. And he took advantage of it to further his cause. He had a more than platonic friendship with Vanessa although he never wanted her as such.
She’s an evil conniving bitch and I wish she’d lost her medical license and her hair, but I dont like how he vilified her when he was actually encouraging her in the first place. The woman didn’t dream up his interest and friendship, it was there, just not for the reasons she’s thought.
Cadi herself isn’t without fault.
I wasn’t impressed with her secrets. A good portion of his issues could’ve been avoided if she’d shared with him in the first place. This counted towards his pardon as far as both I and Cadi were concerned.
I’m not good with timelines unless it’s specifically spelled out for me. LOL. So, I think:
Cadi and Gray met when they were 7 years old. He was grumpy and came from a miserable home. She was sunny and loved. She was the only one who “saw” him. She stood up for him. She made him smile and he adores her. She brought out the best in him. They first became best friends, then sweethearts at 16. Presently they’re 35, married and have a 6 year old son, Tomos. They’re both doctors at the same hospital and have a beautiful life together.
For the past month, however, Gray has become distant, dismissive, rejecting both her and Tomos. My heart broke for their little boy and I cursed Gray for being a gobshite. No explanation, no reason, just cold anger.
I cried.
She tries to communicate but he blocks her every attempt, gaslights her and refuses intimacy. He withdraws from Tomos, ignoring his innocent love.
He spends a lot of time at the hospital and with Vanessa, the evil ow. She’s their co-worker who’s set her sights on him. He makes it easy for her in that while he didn’t actively flirt back, he didn’t tell her to back off either.
Days go by before they have it out because they work shifts and she had a family emergency that kept her busy.
It comes to a head when for once she doesn’t accept his brush-off and for the first time she insists on him explaining his abhorrent behaviour. (By this stage I was already wondering wth she had stuck around only to be treated like shite under his shoe, but she had to fight for their marriage, didn’t she? If we didn’t see her try we wouldn’t appreciate the changed Cadi.)
The man lets loose:
He shreds her dignity with his furious words. Breaks her heart and tears apart everything they’ve become.
I wanted to slap his mouth shut.
"So you think I had an affair with Callum...[their friend]" Gray stiffened, but she didn't stop. "Then I got pregnant. And once you got home, I passed him off as yours."
Gray had his reasons for coming to this conclusion. Many reasonable reasons, in fact. And his devastation is real:
Callum is linked to Gray’s horrid childhood/past. (That story is important but one for another day. Suffice it to say that it has a huge impact on Gray and his psyche.)
Callum confided in Cadi and she stupidly kept his secret from Gray.
Her half sister, Regan, unbeknownst to Cadi, for her own convoluted reasons, fuels his suspicions with lies.
Add an overheard conversation and the closeness between Cadi and Callum and even I would believe that Tomos isn’t Gray’s kid.
But see, I’m not the dr.
Unless I Googled it, I wouldn’t know a thing about genetics or dna and hair and eye colour if a box of swabs whacked me upside the head.
But Gray IS a dr.
AND he could’ve ASKED for answers from Cadi. But he chose not to and now look where it’s got them.
During this same fall-out Gray immediately realises he’s got it all wrong. Cadi’s life revolves around their little family and she would never ever cheat on him. But tonight Cadi stops fighting for them.
The results are catastrophic.
THAT scene.
I have no words to convey the impact of it to me as a reader.
I swear I could taste her agony. On one hand I sped read because I just wanted the emotional distress to end, but on the other hand I tried to slow down so that I could get in every word and every emotion and physical reaction she was experiencing.
If I was a drinking gal I’d have had me a pint and a half of Guinness.
How I cried.
One minute Gray is all hyped up, smug and feeling the power.
Cadi is tearful and scared, begging for answers.
The next, she swipes the rug from under his feet and takes full control of the situation. The power shift is palpable. And she does it with ice cold precision. No flinging vases. No screaming. (She only breaks down when she’s out of his space and even then she’s never weak.)
And him, oh he knew how badly he’d fucked up. You see it dawning on him.
Now Gray is visibly a broken man when Cadi does her own 180. She shuts down completely. She does not budge despite his pleas. And boy, does the man plead.
She takes Tomos and goes to stay with Callum. Stupid move, but I get it.
So, if he thought he was suffering before, he had no idea what he would endure the next weeks/months.
I cried again.
Anyway, Callum and Cadi apologise for keeping secrets from Gray.
Callum shares his story and poor Gray, the way I felt for him.
Poor me, I cried some more.
But still, Gray broke them with his bad decisions.
He failed to protect Tomos and he demolished their family because of his obsession with Cadi. The minute he felt their relationship was in jeopardy he lashed out instead of coming to her. I hear his point but damn, he has a vicious tongue that slayed her and Tomos so badly.
Anyway, they make it work eventually.
She fights the long fight. Asks for space and makes no promises. He goes for therapy and what I especially appreciated about their story is that his therapy continues for years after their marriage is repaired. He constantly works on himself. Coming to terms with his past - this plays a major roll in the man he has become - and their new life. He fights for them with his words and actions. He makes positive changes at work and at home. He’s not good with emotion and communication but finds a way to do both: putting his feelings and thoughts in words, by writing to her. He allows himself to be vulnerable.
Cadi is one of my fav heroines.
She’s a wonderful mum and partner. A dedicated dr. She loves her friends and family and the life she has with them. Her people love her.
Regan and Callum suffer the loss of her friendship under her disengagement.
He’s relationship with Tomos suffered greatly and Tomos will probably always have a speck of worry but we’re assured in the epilogue that all is well on that front.
I loved seeing Gray’s growth and them secure in their hard-won love even years later.
I wish Tomos gets his own book so that I can see more of Gray and Cadi.
I loved their solid HEA.
NTS:
Neaten review.
Random paragraphs stuck in here and there and everywhere.
Get the pesky formatting to work so spoilers are hidden.
Spelling, grammar, tenses, etc
Before:
NTS: Blurb: Read on if you are worried about triggers like cheating. But this might spoil the plot
Mmmm….🧐🤨🧐🤔
His pain was equal to and in many ways worse than hers.
The man shattered under the weight of his despair. He had to claw his way back to any semblance of a life before she even considered reconciliation. And even then she remained true to herself.
Kudos to the author for this.
‼️SPOILERS‼️because as usual, formatting is up to shite‼️
‼️Come back to refine this review, messy messy Beeg.‼️
I would’ve told him to fuck-off, but Cadi, the heroine has more class than me. This lady drew strength from somewhere deep within and by the time truths were revealed, his grovel was grovelling.
The book starts off with that painful gut-punch scene every good cheating book should have.
Oh, the angst. The horror and shock, the anger I felt on her behalf! I could feel my heartbeat while experiencing this through Cadi’s eyes.
…"Depends what ye mean by relax, Vanessa. But I don't get much time for it these days."
"That's a shame," she murmured, tilting her head. "I could help with that, you know."
Gray didn't shut her down. He didn't laugh it off or tell her to stop. He just smiled. "Maybe I should take ye up on that offer," he said, his voice lighter than it had been at home in weeks.
…
Gray's expression softened as he lifted a hand and gently tucked it behind her ear. It was such a small gesture. So careful. So intimate. Then, for a split second, Vanessa leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Gray's.
Cadi's pulse pounded in her ears, her fingers gripping the doorframe to steady herself. She willed him to step back, to move away. To tell Vanessa no. But Gray didn't step back. He didn't move away. Instead, he leaned down.
…
Vanessa tilted her chin up, her lips parting just slightly, expectantly.
The air between them crackled, charged with something undeniable. And Gray—her Gray—wasn't pulling away.
Cadi felt something inside her crack, the weight of betrayal slamming into her so hard she nearly staggered.
…
Spinning on her heel, she turned and fled.
That right there is cheating to me.
No one held a gun to his head. He wasn’t drugged.
He made a conscious sane decision to touch and engage in a non-platonic connection with another woman. It doesn’t matter that he staged that scene knowing his wife was watching; that he was just using her as a weapon to make Cadi jealous. To prove that he mattered to Cadi as much as she mattered to him.
So he allowed Vanessa to touch him, he touched her; albeit ONLY his arm and her hair. He was in her personal space. A married man is cheating when he’s deliberately intimate with another person. He says he didn’t kiss her; that he’s only ever slept with Cadi and I believe him. But he admits Vanessa flirted with him yet he never took it seriously, until this day. And he took advantage of it to further his cause. He had a more than platonic friendship with Vanessa although he never wanted her as such.
She’s an evil conniving bitch and I wish she’d lost her medical license and her hair, but I dont like how he vilified her when he was actually encouraging her in the first place. The woman didn’t dream up his interest and friendship, it was there, just not for the reasons she’s thought.
Cadi herself isn’t without fault.
I wasn’t impressed with her secrets. A good portion of his issues could’ve been avoided if she’d shared with him in the first place. This counted towards his pardon as far as both I and Cadi were concerned.
I’m not good with timelines unless it’s specifically spelled out for me. LOL. So, I think:
Cadi and Gray met when they were 7 years old. He was grumpy and came from a miserable home. She was sunny and loved. She was the only one who “saw” him. She stood up for him. She made him smile and he adores her. She brought out the best in him. They first became best friends, then sweethearts at 16. Presently they’re 35, married and have a 6 year old son, Tomos. They’re both doctors at the same hospital and have a beautiful life together.
For the past month, however, Gray has become distant, dismissive, rejecting both her and Tomos. My heart broke for their little boy and I cursed Gray for being a gobshite. No explanation, no reason, just cold anger.
I cried.
She tries to communicate but he blocks her every attempt, gaslights her and refuses intimacy. He withdraws from Tomos, ignoring his innocent love.
He spends a lot of time at the hospital and with Vanessa, the evil ow. She’s their co-worker who’s set her sights on him. He makes it easy for her in that while he didn’t actively flirt back, he didn’t tell her to back off either.
Days go by before they have it out because they work shifts and she had a family emergency that kept her busy.
It comes to a head when for once she doesn’t accept his brush-off and for the first time she insists on him explaining his abhorrent behaviour. (By this stage I was already wondering wth she had stuck around only to be treated like shite under his shoe, but she had to fight for their marriage, didn’t she? If we didn’t see her try we wouldn’t appreciate the changed Cadi.)
The man lets loose:
He shreds her dignity with his furious words. Breaks her heart and tears apart everything they’ve become.
I wanted to slap his mouth shut.
"So you think I had an affair with Callum...[their friend]" Gray stiffened, but she didn't stop. "Then I got pregnant. And once you got home, I passed him off as yours."
Gray had his reasons for coming to this conclusion. Many reasonable reasons, in fact. And his devastation is real:
Callum is linked to Gray’s horrid childhood/past. (That story is important but one for another day. Suffice it to say that it has a huge impact on Gray and his psyche.)
Callum confided in Cadi and she stupidly kept his secret from Gray.
Her half sister, Regan, unbeknownst to Cadi, for her own convoluted reasons, fuels his suspicions with lies.
Add an overheard conversation and the closeness between Cadi and Callum and even I would believe that Tomos isn’t Gray’s kid.
But see, I’m not the dr.
Unless I Googled it, I wouldn’t know a thing about genetics or dna and hair and eye colour if a box of swabs whacked me upside the head.
But Gray IS a dr.
AND he could’ve ASKED for answers from Cadi. But he chose not to and now look where it’s got them.
During this same fall-out Gray immediately realises he’s got it all wrong. Cadi’s life revolves around their little family and she would never ever cheat on him. But tonight Cadi stops fighting for them.
The results are catastrophic.
THAT scene.
I have no words to convey the impact of it to me as a reader.
I swear I could taste her agony. On one hand I sped read because I just wanted the emotional distress to end, but on the other hand I tried to slow down so that I could get in every word and every emotion and physical reaction she was experiencing.
If I was a drinking gal I’d have had me a pint and a half of Guinness.
How I cried.
One minute Gray is all hyped up, smug and feeling the power.
Cadi is tearful and scared, begging for answers.
The next, she swipes the rug from under his feet and takes full control of the situation. The power shift is palpable. And she does it with ice cold precision. No flinging vases. No screaming. (She only breaks down when she’s out of his space and even then she’s never weak.)
And him, oh he knew how badly he’d fucked up. You see it dawning on him.
Now Gray is visibly a broken man when Cadi does her own 180. She shuts down completely. She does not budge despite his pleas. And boy, does the man plead.
She takes Tomos and goes to stay with Callum. Stupid move, but I get it.
So, if he thought he was suffering before, he had no idea what he would endure the next weeks/months.
I cried again.
Anyway, Callum and Cadi apologise for keeping secrets from Gray.
Callum shares his story and poor Gray, the way I felt for him.
Poor me, I cried some more.
But still, Gray broke them with his bad decisions.
He failed to protect Tomos and he demolished their family because of his obsession with Cadi. The minute he felt their relationship was in jeopardy he lashed out instead of coming to her. I hear his point but damn, he has a vicious tongue that slayed her and Tomos so badly.
Anyway, they make it work eventually.
She fights the long fight. Asks for space and makes no promises. He goes for therapy and what I especially appreciated about their story is that his therapy continues for years after their marriage is repaired. He constantly works on himself. Coming to terms with his past - this plays a major roll in the man he has become - and their new life. He fights for them with his words and actions. He makes positive changes at work and at home. He’s not good with emotion and communication but finds a way to do both: putting his feelings and thoughts in words, by writing to her. He allows himself to be vulnerable.
Cadi is one of my fav heroines.
She’s a wonderful mum and partner. A dedicated dr. She loves her friends and family and the life she has with them. Her people love her.
Regan and Callum suffer the loss of her friendship under her disengagement.
He’s relationship with Tomos suffered greatly and Tomos will probably always have a speck of worry but we’re assured in the epilogue that all is well on that front.
I loved seeing Gray’s growth and them secure in their hard-won love even years later.
I wish Tomos gets his own book so that I can see more of Gray and Cadi.
I loved their solid HEA.
NTS:
Neaten review.
Random paragraphs stuck in here and there and everywhere.
Get the pesky formatting to work so spoilers are hidden.
Spelling, grammar, tenses, etc
Before:
NTS: Blurb: Read on if you are worried about triggers like cheating. But this might spoil the plot
Mmmm….🧐🤨🧐🤔
March 13, 2025
Marriage in trouble
This was a very addicting story with some surprise twists. Cadi and Gray have been married a few years and have a 4 year old son. They have known each other since childhood. Both work at the hospital. Recently, Gray has distanced himself from his wife and son. He works late, leaves early, and seems to get along very well with his beautiful younger coworker. When Cadi walks in on him and Vanessa, they look very chummy. She turns to her good friend Callum(who has a secret of his own) and her sister Regan has been telling her things about Gray. Things finally come to a head, and now the question is: Can this marriage be saved?
The story has our characters jumping to conclusions, making assumptions, and not communicating. At the root of everything is a deep love. (No actual cheating, but perceived cheating)
This was a very addicting story with some surprise twists. Cadi and Gray have been married a few years and have a 4 year old son. They have known each other since childhood. Both work at the hospital. Recently, Gray has distanced himself from his wife and son. He works late, leaves early, and seems to get along very well with his beautiful younger coworker. When Cadi walks in on him and Vanessa, they look very chummy. She turns to her good friend Callum(who has a secret of his own) and her sister Regan has been telling her things about Gray. Things finally come to a head, and now the question is: Can this marriage be saved?
The story has our characters jumping to conclusions, making assumptions, and not communicating. At the root of everything is a deep love. (No actual cheating, but perceived cheating)
May 8, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I shed a few tears with the heroine and Tomos and smiled with Tomos' antics. Gray starts the story as the jerk but has a nice redemption arc and is normally an awesome husband. He listens to the wrong person and is suffering from some past trauma that he's never shared with his wife, Cady.
There's an OW that causes trouble but isn't that big a part of the story. There's a possible OM too who is close to the family.
Basically, Gray and Cady have been together since they were kids. There are a couple flashbacks that nicely show how they met and later on, how they fell in love. But at the start of the book Gray has been working a lot and avoiding not just Cady but his son Tomos as well. It's heartbreaking to read about, but there's more to his side of the story that gets revealed later on.
Cady is a strong heroine and even though her heart is breaking she has some awesome set downs for both Gray and the OW he flirts with. Gray really has to work to earn back her trust!
I felt heartbroken for Gray's mother.
The author has a talent for making you feel the emotions of her characters and being sympathetic with them.
Safety is good but a wee warning too.
I read this on Wattpad. I hate reading on Wattpad, but the story was worth it!
I am leaving goodreads by the end of May.
I have a new account with storygraph
My user name is dirtyMartini
I am trying to clean up my online associations to be more responsible.
I want to distance myself from Trump and his associates. As a Canadian, I take his threats seriously.
I will miss all my book friends here and I wish you all happy reading!
There's an OW that causes trouble but isn't that big a part of the story. There's a possible OM too who is close to the family.
Basically, Gray and Cady have been together since they were kids. There are a couple flashbacks that nicely show how they met and later on, how they fell in love. But at the start of the book Gray has been working a lot and avoiding not just Cady but his son Tomos as well. It's heartbreaking to read about, but there's more to his side of the story that gets revealed later on.
Cady is a strong heroine and even though her heart is breaking she has some awesome set downs for both Gray and the OW he flirts with. Gray really has to work to earn back her trust!
I felt heartbroken for Gray's mother.
The author has a talent for making you feel the emotions of her characters and being sympathetic with them.
Safety is good but a wee warning too.
I read this on Wattpad. I hate reading on Wattpad, but the story was worth it!
I am leaving goodreads by the end of May.
I have a new account with storygraph
My user name is dirtyMartini
I am trying to clean up my online associations to be more responsible.
I want to distance myself from Trump and his associates. As a Canadian, I take his threats seriously.
I will miss all my book friends here and I wish you all happy reading!
April 22, 2025
Another good one
Not as good as the other but it still touched me. Gray was quite the hero. He.didn't deserve that tile for a long time. But he made it up. Love that the heroine had a spine. How,she handled his accusation was,priceless! She was strong and fearless because she knew that it was a lie. Regan was,something else..I'm not sure I could forgive her. And the ow wannabe was just heartless. I loved how he let her have it at the end .everything turned out great and he never physically cheats. Thank.heavens!
Not as good as the other but it still touched me. Gray was quite the hero. He.didn't deserve that tile for a long time. But he made it up. Love that the heroine had a spine. How,she handled his accusation was,priceless! She was strong and fearless because she knew that it was a lie. Regan was,something else..I'm not sure I could forgive her. And the ow wannabe was just heartless. I loved how he let her have it at the end .everything turned out great and he never physically cheats. Thank.heavens!
April 18, 2025
It was OK but i would've liked it more if the angst lasted longer, I liked that he didn't actually cheat but I felt like she forgave him way to quick like she was such a badass when he accused her of cheating then she becomes a doormat so quickly. I also thought it was unfair that cadi couldn't forgive Regan but she immediately forgave gray, they both broke your trust even grey said he was guiltier than reagon but he was some how easier to forgive? Like don’t get me wrong im happy he didn’t cheat but that doesn’t change how he made her and their son feel before the truth came out. Being distant and letting her think he was cheating with multiple woman, letting their son feel like he was unloved by him to the point he was always questioning if he was gonna be there the next day, purposefully flirting with Vanessa cause he knew she was watching like really? What if she didn’t turn around? Would he have actually kissed her? Cause I wouldn’t have been surprised. Then it’s all forgiven cause he didn’t actually cheat but reagon wasn’t, don’t get me wrong I get being mad at reagon but to stay mad at her but immediately forgive gray when he was way worse is really hypocritical. Idk this probably would’ve been a 4 star if she wasn’t a doormat, I wish the angst was drawn out more kinda made the drama pointless cause it didn't really effect then in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 4, 2025i am at like 75 percent in but i know what's going to happen, i am not even going to talk about romance or anything
not to trauma dump but a parent shutting you out and behaving like you don't exist is so deeply traumatizing it shapes you so deeply and when mmc did that to his 4-5 year old son (let alone his wife) i knew i couldn't forgive him.
i know hurt people hurt people and all that jazz, but he did all that disgusting acts for nothing, esp nothing more than a miscommunication that could be solved with a 5 seconds talk.
safety
he used ow for one time (he flirted with her in front of fmc to hurt her because he thought she cheated on him) but apart from that he apparently always told ow no and drew boundaries.
not to trauma dump but a parent shutting you out and behaving like you don't exist is so deeply traumatizing it shapes you so deeply and when mmc did that to his 4-5 year old son (let alone his wife) i knew i couldn't forgive him.
i know hurt people hurt people and all that jazz, but he did all that disgusting acts for nothing, esp nothing more than a miscommunication that could be solved with a 5 seconds talk.
safety
he used ow for one time (he flirted with her in front of fmc to hurt her because he thought she cheated on him) but apart from that he apparently always told ow no and drew boundaries.
March 13, 2025
Enjoyed the story
First off, I love to see a Wattpad author putting their work on KU!
As for the book, I enjoyed the first half immensely. There was lots of drama as the tension built between the characters. The angst really got me there for a second and brought a tear to my eye (which the masochist in me LOVED btw). But then, it was all over as quickly as it began with the last half of the book focused almost entirely on the trauma, therapy, and overall healing of the characters. Don’t get me wrong, this is nice to see! However, I think I would’ve liked for the drama and angst to be drawn out a bit longer, but that’s just personal preference. All in all, this was a good, satisfying read, with an almost unexpected level of depth.
First off, I love to see a Wattpad author putting their work on KU!
As for the book, I enjoyed the first half immensely. There was lots of drama as the tension built between the characters. The angst really got me there for a second and brought a tear to my eye (which the masochist in me LOVED btw). But then, it was all over as quickly as it began with the last half of the book focused almost entirely on the trauma, therapy, and overall healing of the characters. Don’t get me wrong, this is nice to see! However, I think I would’ve liked for the drama and angst to be drawn out a bit longer, but that’s just personal preference. All in all, this was a good, satisfying read, with an almost unexpected level of depth.
March 30, 2025
This is a new author so I want to leave a review.
This will have spoilers so….
I love the gut punch feeling of cheating when it’s only perceived. This story was exactly what I hoped for!
I think it’s best to go in as blind as possible. I’ll just say we have a husband with trust issues given bad information by people he should have been able to trust. He is hurt so he tries to hurt his wife Cadi. It seems like a betrayal that can’t be overcome.
I felt sympathetic to both parties and I wanted them to get their HEA. That doesn’t always happen in these types of stories.
Now on to Reagan’s book “Breaking”!
This will have spoilers so….
I love the gut punch feeling of cheating when it’s only perceived. This story was exactly what I hoped for!
I think it’s best to go in as blind as possible. I’ll just say we have a husband with trust issues given bad information by people he should have been able to trust. He is hurt so he tries to hurt his wife Cadi. It seems like a betrayal that can’t be overcome.
I felt sympathetic to both parties and I wanted them to get their HEA. That doesn’t always happen in these types of stories.
Now on to Reagan’s book “Breaking”!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2025
emotionally captivating.
This was an emotionally driven read, it highlights the importance of communication and honesty between all relationships whether they are romantic or platonic.
Witnessing the growth both individually and collectively of the charters was heartwarming.
This is the first novel I have read by this author and has inspired me to look further into their work.
This was an emotionally driven read, it highlights the importance of communication and honesty between all relationships whether they are romantic or platonic.
Witnessing the growth both individually and collectively of the charters was heartwarming.
This is the first novel I have read by this author and has inspired me to look further into their work.
March 14, 2025
1. The early part of this book would have been a lot easier to follow if the chapters had headings with Cadi and Gray’s ages.
2. This book badly needed editing.
a. Gray’s Irish accent sometimes transferred to Cadi when they were talking. Tomos’ accent also came and went.
b. There was some kind of formatting glitch in this book. When reading it on the Kindle Cloud Reader, the book was one long chapter, and the reading progress was measured in location. On the Kindle app, there were chapters, and the reading progress was measured in pages. This made it impossible to sync from one device to the other.
c. The end of chapter 22 was the conversation between Cadi and Gray when he called her to tell her that the results of the paternity test were in. Then, the beginning of the next chapter, the phone rang again and it was Gray telling her that the test results were in but the conversation was worded differently.
d. After they read the results of the test and Gray ran to the bathroom to be sick, Cadi went to the kitchen and got a clean towel and a glass of water for him. She went to the bathroom and gave him the towel, but the glass of water had disappeared. Plus, why did she have to go to the kitchen for water and towels when he was in the bathroom where both could be found?
e. The book implied that Gray had kissed Vanessa and Cadi told her sister that she saw Gray kiss her but Gray said that he didn’t kiss her.
f. When Gray was accusing Cadi of sleeping with Callum and him being Tomos’ real father, he said that Tomos didn’t look anything like him. Did Gray forget what he looked like as a child?
g. After the paternity test was over and the woman doing the test had left, Gray asked if they could go to the park and then for ice cream and Cadi replied, “We’ll see after the test”. ??? The test was already done.
h. The story that Regan gave Cadi to excuse the damage that she had done to Cadi and Gray’s marriage didn’t even make sense. She said that Gray was so insecure because he felt like he was never enough for Cadi so she thought she could “fix it” and “make it better” by telling him that Cadi was cheating on him and Tomos wasn’t his son???
3. Gray said that he faked the scene with Vanessa and that he didn’t really kiss her. How far would he have taken it if Cadi hadn’t run away?
4. I found this book to be really disappointing. The things that Gray did to Cadi were unforgivable. Yet, after the paternity test when the truth came out, the author started shifting blame to all the other characters. It was Cadi’s fault because she hadn’t been honest with Gray about who Callum really was and her “loyalties” had not been with her husband. It was Callum’s fault because he hadn’t been entirely honest with Cadi about their childhood. It was Regan’s fault because she wanted Gray and was trying to come between them.
DNF
2. This book badly needed editing.
a. Gray’s Irish accent sometimes transferred to Cadi when they were talking. Tomos’ accent also came and went.
b. There was some kind of formatting glitch in this book. When reading it on the Kindle Cloud Reader, the book was one long chapter, and the reading progress was measured in location. On the Kindle app, there were chapters, and the reading progress was measured in pages. This made it impossible to sync from one device to the other.
c. The end of chapter 22 was the conversation between Cadi and Gray when he called her to tell her that the results of the paternity test were in. Then, the beginning of the next chapter, the phone rang again and it was Gray telling her that the test results were in but the conversation was worded differently.
d. After they read the results of the test and Gray ran to the bathroom to be sick, Cadi went to the kitchen and got a clean towel and a glass of water for him. She went to the bathroom and gave him the towel, but the glass of water had disappeared. Plus, why did she have to go to the kitchen for water and towels when he was in the bathroom where both could be found?
e. The book implied that Gray had kissed Vanessa and Cadi told her sister that she saw Gray kiss her but Gray said that he didn’t kiss her.
f. When Gray was accusing Cadi of sleeping with Callum and him being Tomos’ real father, he said that Tomos didn’t look anything like him. Did Gray forget what he looked like as a child?
g. After the paternity test was over and the woman doing the test had left, Gray asked if they could go to the park and then for ice cream and Cadi replied, “We’ll see after the test”. ??? The test was already done.
h. The story that Regan gave Cadi to excuse the damage that she had done to Cadi and Gray’s marriage didn’t even make sense. She said that Gray was so insecure because he felt like he was never enough for Cadi so she thought she could “fix it” and “make it better” by telling him that Cadi was cheating on him and Tomos wasn’t his son???
3. Gray said that he faked the scene with Vanessa and that he didn’t really kiss her. How far would he have taken it if Cadi hadn’t run away?
4. I found this book to be really disappointing. The things that Gray did to Cadi were unforgivable. Yet, after the paternity test when the truth came out, the author started shifting blame to all the other characters. It was Cadi’s fault because she hadn’t been honest with Gray about who Callum really was and her “loyalties” had not been with her husband. It was Callum’s fault because he hadn’t been entirely honest with Cadi about their childhood. It was Regan’s fault because she wanted Gray and was trying to come between them.
DNF
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2025
Cadi and Gray had a great marriage but 2 big misunderstandings shatter that marriage. One involves the parentage of their child. The other a jealous trick, but no actual cheating. Once all is known, their marriage is shaken. Cadi has to learn to forgive and trust again as does Gray. The cast of nefarious characters affecting their marriage include family and friends. And secrets abound.
Cadi puts on her big girl panties and demands accountability from Gray. She’s a protective mother hen for their son, Tomas, and a warrior woman for herself. Gray realizes he has several unresolved personal issues and seeks to understand himself and his motives better. Their son Tomas is cute without over-doing it. Overall, a great read. Look forward to more books by this author.
Cadi puts on her big girl panties and demands accountability from Gray. She’s a protective mother hen for their son, Tomas, and a warrior woman for herself. Gray realizes he has several unresolved personal issues and seeks to understand himself and his motives better. Their son Tomas is cute without over-doing it. Overall, a great read. Look forward to more books by this author.
April 6, 2025
really enjoyed this
They keep saying, “She and Gray needed to talk.” “You and Gray need to talk.” “We need to talk.” … but ya see, they’re actively talking… why are they acting like they’re not constantly talking?! Their conversation is clearly not over, they obviously have issues… but why are they acting like they’re not taking?!
After they all seemed to accept that they were in fact all talking… the story was good.
I liked the characters. I’m glad there was no actual cheating. Sad for Callum ruining his relationships by not being honest immediately. Same for Regan. There were so many relationships that blew up. But it was a good read.
They keep saying, “She and Gray needed to talk.” “You and Gray need to talk.” “We need to talk.” … but ya see, they’re actively talking… why are they acting like they’re not constantly talking?! Their conversation is clearly not over, they obviously have issues… but why are they acting like they’re not taking?!
After they all seemed to accept that they were in fact all talking… the story was good.
I liked the characters. I’m glad there was no actual cheating. Sad for Callum ruining his relationships by not being honest immediately. Same for Regan. There were so many relationships that blew up. But it was a good read.
March 31, 2025
shattering
Great storyline, this novel was heartbreaking and tragic. The couple need to trust each other after her husband’s betrayal. The ending was amazing and they were both wonderful together.
Great storyline, this novel was heartbreaking and tragic. The couple need to trust each other after her husband’s betrayal. The ending was amazing and they were both wonderful together.
April 6, 2025
Not what I was expecting
What a beautiful heart wrenching journey the H had. I love a me a strong female character who will only take so much the does whatever she can to protect her child. The child Tomas was such a delight. More stories please MS Salander!
What a beautiful heart wrenching journey the H had. I love a me a strong female character who will only take so much the does whatever she can to protect her child. The child Tomas was such a delight. More stories please MS Salander!
June 26, 2025
Nothing too ground breaking. Mid level angst. Grovel galore. Reads easy. Finished in a day. 2.9 stars
March 14, 2025
loved this book!
I wasn’t sure I would, first book I’ve read by this author, but it drew me in. It was well worth it.
I wasn’t sure I would, first book I’ve read by this author, but it drew me in. It was well worth it.
March 14, 2025
Awesome
This book was amazing to read. Great storyline. I loved the growth of the characters. Read it one day. Couldn't put it down.
This book was amazing to read. Great storyline. I loved the growth of the characters. Read it one day. Couldn't put it down.
April 27, 2025
❤️❤️❤️
Just goes to show you have to be up front and honest with people. If you hear something you go ask if it’s true. Gray learned that the hard way and Cadi and Tomos suffered. Fixing the problem was not that easy.
Just goes to show you have to be up front and honest with people. If you hear something you go ask if it’s true. Gray learned that the hard way and Cadi and Tomos suffered. Fixing the problem was not that easy.
Read
April 11, 2025I'm not sure how I feel about this one. At one point or another, every character annoyed me, but then something would happen, and I would feel bad for the character that just annoyed me. It also felt very long..
I'm probably just gonna leave it as read
I'm probably just gonna leave it as read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2025
Shattering-Cadi & Gray, Book 1 of the Blindsided series, was about 35-year-old Dr. Cadi Hughes, a consultant of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, and her husband, 35-year-old Dr. Gray Callahan, an orthopaedic surgeon.
Content Warning: This book contains themes that may be distressing to some readers, including but not limited to: Workplace toxicity and medical burnout, Infidelity and emotional neglect, Mental health struggles, including depression and suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, manipulation, and emotional abuse, Family estrangement and difficult parent-child dynamics, Alcohol use and self-destructive behaviour, Scenes depicting medical emergencies and distressing hospital scenarios, References to past sexual assault (rape-but not between the main characters). Reader discretion is advised. If you find any of these topics triggering, please proceed with caution. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or trauma-related issues, consider seeking support from a trusted friend, professional, or helpline. This novel is intended for mature audiences and may not be suitable for all readers.
The book began with Cadi already panicking from a betrayal she had witnessed. Then the story had an odd flashback mode that started when Cadi, her "sister from another mister," Anna, and Gray first met. However, the next few chapters jumped ahead a year at a time, until it reached Chapter 5, which skipped 8 years ahead, where Cadi and Gray decided to date each other. The book returned to the present in Chapter 6, at which time Gray had already started shunning their five-year-old son, Tomos, and giving Cadi the cold shoulder as well, with no explanation for any of it. When Regan, her stepsister, mentioned that Gray had recommended another female doctor for a promotion Cadi wanted, she went to confront him about it, only to find him in a compromising situation...with the said doctor. She didn't confront him about it, but just left to pick up their son from school. While waiting for Tomos, she received a text from Gray saying for her not to wait up because he had picked up an extra shift at work, something he had been doing a lot of lately.
When Cadi finally confronted him with his actions, Gray turned hostile. She point-blank asked if he was having an affair, and, rather than outright denying it, he told her that if he was, she had pushed him into it, and that he wanted a divorce. When she asked why, he said he got bored. Then he accused her of having an affair with her friend Callum, and that he believed the other man was the biological father of her son, because Tomos "looked more like" the other man than he did Gray. He started calling her names, putting her down, and saying other women were prettier, smarter, etc. than her. Cadi turned off all emotion, became cold with him, told him he could have his divorce, but that she first wanted a paternity test to prove him wrong. She told him she was going to pack her things as well as their son's and stay with Callum...and told him not to contact her. She made him wait long enough for her to retrieve something to give him. Once she located them, she handed him two old photos she had saved from his mother's things after the other woman had died. They were photos of him at the age of two, and then again on his first day of school...and they looked just like Tomos. Suddenly, Gray wasn't so certain his accusations were correct, and he started to fear he had made a mistake. The next morning, the home DNA tests were conducted, and they were informed that the results would be emailed to each of them within 3-4 days.
Once the DNA test results proved that Gray was Tomos' father, Cadi demanded that he tell her why he chose the betray their marriage...and the truth poured out of him. For her part, Cadi called Callum, told him he needed to get to her house and tell Gray his own secrets, which he did. When everything was out in the open, the only one who was innocent of not keeping something from the others was Tomos.
There was a tremendous amount of pain in this story, along with angst, drama, trust issues, and an emotional rollercoaster that had more than its fair share of twists and turns. Both of the main characters had hurt each other with their years-long secrets, and they both should have been in therapy from the beginning.
While both of the main characters were well-developed and mature, they each still needed a lot of growing up to do. Thankfully, the length of the story allowed for that to take place in an appropriate amount of time. It wasn't rushed, and it wasn't hastily swept under the rug to make it disappear. Unfortunately, there were some unresolved issues about what happened with the person(s) who tried to destroy the marriage of the main characters. That did get rushed and left dangling with no resolution.
I gave this a four-star rating because I believe the author handled most (not all) of the issues in a manner that was appropriate for each matter in question. However, I don't believe I will read the next book, titled Only Ever You. I didn't enjoy the blurb or some of the other reviews regarding that book. Who knows...I might change my mind...eventually.
Content Warning: This book contains themes that may be distressing to some readers, including but not limited to: Workplace toxicity and medical burnout, Infidelity and emotional neglect, Mental health struggles, including depression and suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, manipulation, and emotional abuse, Family estrangement and difficult parent-child dynamics, Alcohol use and self-destructive behaviour, Scenes depicting medical emergencies and distressing hospital scenarios, References to past sexual assault (rape-but not between the main characters). Reader discretion is advised. If you find any of these topics triggering, please proceed with caution. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or trauma-related issues, consider seeking support from a trusted friend, professional, or helpline. This novel is intended for mature audiences and may not be suitable for all readers.
The book began with Cadi already panicking from a betrayal she had witnessed. Then the story had an odd flashback mode that started when Cadi, her "sister from another mister," Anna, and Gray first met. However, the next few chapters jumped ahead a year at a time, until it reached Chapter 5, which skipped 8 years ahead, where Cadi and Gray decided to date each other. The book returned to the present in Chapter 6, at which time Gray had already started shunning their five-year-old son, Tomos, and giving Cadi the cold shoulder as well, with no explanation for any of it. When Regan, her stepsister, mentioned that Gray had recommended another female doctor for a promotion Cadi wanted, she went to confront him about it, only to find him in a compromising situation...with the said doctor. She didn't confront him about it, but just left to pick up their son from school. While waiting for Tomos, she received a text from Gray saying for her not to wait up because he had picked up an extra shift at work, something he had been doing a lot of lately.
When Cadi finally confronted him with his actions, Gray turned hostile. She point-blank asked if he was having an affair, and, rather than outright denying it, he told her that if he was, she had pushed him into it, and that he wanted a divorce. When she asked why, he said he got bored. Then he accused her of having an affair with her friend Callum, and that he believed the other man was the biological father of her son, because Tomos "looked more like" the other man than he did Gray. He started calling her names, putting her down, and saying other women were prettier, smarter, etc. than her. Cadi turned off all emotion, became cold with him, told him he could have his divorce, but that she first wanted a paternity test to prove him wrong. She told him she was going to pack her things as well as their son's and stay with Callum...and told him not to contact her. She made him wait long enough for her to retrieve something to give him. Once she located them, she handed him two old photos she had saved from his mother's things after the other woman had died. They were photos of him at the age of two, and then again on his first day of school...and they looked just like Tomos. Suddenly, Gray wasn't so certain his accusations were correct, and he started to fear he had made a mistake. The next morning, the home DNA tests were conducted, and they were informed that the results would be emailed to each of them within 3-4 days.
Once the DNA test results proved that Gray was Tomos' father, Cadi demanded that he tell her why he chose the betray their marriage...and the truth poured out of him. For her part, Cadi called Callum, told him he needed to get to her house and tell Gray his own secrets, which he did. When everything was out in the open, the only one who was innocent of not keeping something from the others was Tomos.
There was a tremendous amount of pain in this story, along with angst, drama, trust issues, and an emotional rollercoaster that had more than its fair share of twists and turns. Both of the main characters had hurt each other with their years-long secrets, and they both should have been in therapy from the beginning.
While both of the main characters were well-developed and mature, they each still needed a lot of growing up to do. Thankfully, the length of the story allowed for that to take place in an appropriate amount of time. It wasn't rushed, and it wasn't hastily swept under the rug to make it disappear. Unfortunately, there were some unresolved issues about what happened with the person(s) who tried to destroy the marriage of the main characters. That did get rushed and left dangling with no resolution.
I gave this a four-star rating because I believe the author handled most (not all) of the issues in a manner that was appropriate for each matter in question. However, I don't believe I will read the next book, titled Only Ever You. I didn't enjoy the blurb or some of the other reviews regarding that book. Who knows...I might change my mind...eventually.
April 4, 2025
Cadi and Gray met when they started school at about 4 or 5 years old. They were friends, to high school sweethearts, now married with a son Tomos who is now about 5 himself.
They are both doctors at the same hospital.
For the last 4 months, Gray has been working extra shifts, not coming home to tuck their son into bed, being distant, etc. All the red flags that he's having an affair. Cadi tries to talk to him about what's going on, in a generic way without accusing him of an affair, but he gets defensive and acts like she's imagining things, he's a doctor, it's normal to work long hours, etc.
One day she goes to the employee lounge at the hospital wanting to talk to Gray about something, and he's in there with another doctor (Vanessa). She overhears Vanessa offering to "relieve his stress." Then they kiss. Cadi turns around and leaves the lounge.
That night when Gray comes home, Cadi confronts him more directly, and just asks if he's having an affair. He admits to having an affair, but the reason is not your typical reason. Someone told Gray that Cadi had confessed to cheating on him with her best guy friend, Callum, and that Callum was Tomos' real dad. Tomos and Callum both have blond hair, and they do kind of look alike.
Gray expects them to get in an argument, which will end in him forgiving Cadi for cheating. But Cadi just shuts down and agrees to the divorce, and demands a DNA test to get custody issues resolved. This makes Gray a little nervous because he expected he would have to demand the test, to prove her adultery. Why is she so agreeable to the DNA test?
Cadi goes upstairs and gets a picture from their first day of school, the day they met. Little 4 year old Gray has blond hair. And the piece de resistance, Cadi says she's moving out with the kid, and they will be staying at Callum's house! Ha ha!
Even though Cadi is not in a forgiving mood, she is willing to talk to Gray about what's going on, and why he thinks she's passing off someone else's bastard as his kid. It turns out Regan, Cadi's younger sister, overheard a conversation between Cadi and Callum, while Cadi was pregnant, something like, "This baby is your family, and I hate lying to Gray about it." Regan sat on that and didn't say anything. Then 4 months ago, Gray was confiding in Regan about not being good enough for Cadi or something like that, and Regan told Gray about what she heard.
So this is where the story get's a little OTT, IMO: Cadi gets Callum to come over and explain what they were lying to Gray about. It wasn't that Callum is Tomos' father, it's that Callum and Gray are secretly brothers. They have the same father, who was married to Callum's mother when he raped Gray's mother, Aisling. When she had a baby with blond hair (Gray), everyone in the village thought she had an affair with Callum's dad. Aisling's husband raised Gray as his son, but was abusive. Even Callum and Gray grew up thinking Gray was an affair baby. Callum was avoiding telling Gray the whole truth because once Tomos was born, Callum liked being "Uncle Callum," and didn't want Gray to hate him or forbid him from seeing Tomos, who is secretly his biological nephew.
Even Cadi didn't know the whole story. Now she knows the truth, including Gray saying he never really cheated, but he did want it to appear like he was cheating, to hurt Cadi. Cadi moves back into the family home and is at least willing to try to reconcile, but requires Gray to go to counseling.
The second half of the book is Gray going to counseling and fixing himself and his marriage.
They are both doctors at the same hospital.
For the last 4 months, Gray has been working extra shifts, not coming home to tuck their son into bed, being distant, etc. All the red flags that he's having an affair. Cadi tries to talk to him about what's going on, in a generic way without accusing him of an affair, but he gets defensive and acts like she's imagining things, he's a doctor, it's normal to work long hours, etc.
One day she goes to the employee lounge at the hospital wanting to talk to Gray about something, and he's in there with another doctor (Vanessa). She overhears Vanessa offering to "relieve his stress." Then they kiss. Cadi turns around and leaves the lounge.
That night when Gray comes home, Cadi confronts him more directly, and just asks if he's having an affair. He admits to having an affair, but the reason is not your typical reason. Someone told Gray that Cadi had confessed to cheating on him with her best guy friend, Callum, and that Callum was Tomos' real dad. Tomos and Callum both have blond hair, and they do kind of look alike.
Gray expects them to get in an argument, which will end in him forgiving Cadi for cheating. But Cadi just shuts down and agrees to the divorce, and demands a DNA test to get custody issues resolved. This makes Gray a little nervous because he expected he would have to demand the test, to prove her adultery. Why is she so agreeable to the DNA test?
Cadi goes upstairs and gets a picture from their first day of school, the day they met. Little 4 year old Gray has blond hair. And the piece de resistance, Cadi says she's moving out with the kid, and they will be staying at Callum's house! Ha ha!
Even though Cadi is not in a forgiving mood, she is willing to talk to Gray about what's going on, and why he thinks she's passing off someone else's bastard as his kid. It turns out Regan, Cadi's younger sister, overheard a conversation between Cadi and Callum, while Cadi was pregnant, something like, "This baby is your family, and I hate lying to Gray about it." Regan sat on that and didn't say anything. Then 4 months ago, Gray was confiding in Regan about not being good enough for Cadi or something like that, and Regan told Gray about what she heard.
So this is where the story get's a little OTT, IMO: Cadi gets Callum to come over and explain what they were lying to Gray about. It wasn't that Callum is Tomos' father, it's that Callum and Gray are secretly brothers. They have the same father, who was married to Callum's mother when he raped Gray's mother, Aisling. When she had a baby with blond hair (Gray), everyone in the village thought she had an affair with Callum's dad. Aisling's husband raised Gray as his son, but was abusive. Even Callum and Gray grew up thinking Gray was an affair baby. Callum was avoiding telling Gray the whole truth because once Tomos was born, Callum liked being "Uncle Callum," and didn't want Gray to hate him or forbid him from seeing Tomos, who is secretly his biological nephew.
Even Cadi didn't know the whole story. Now she knows the truth, including Gray saying he never really cheated, but he did want it to appear like he was cheating, to hurt Cadi. Cadi moves back into the family home and is at least willing to try to reconcile, but requires Gray to go to counseling.
The second half of the book is Gray going to counseling and fixing himself and his marriage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2025
DNF at ~60%
This book isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read.
But it’s standing close enough to that podium to feel the heat.
I went in curious. The blurb promised betrayal, regret, groveling. I wanted to see how a man could possibly come back from this. Short answer: he doesn’t.
The story opens with Gray suddenly turning cold toward his wife, Cadi, and their son, Tomos. Why? Because Cadi’s sister Regan tells him Tomos might not be his. And Gray—successful adult man with a brain—does zero follow-up. No questions. No proof. No DNA test. He just… accepts it as fact and emotionally checks out of his family.
Instead of asking his wife a single question, he decides the mature solution is psychological warfare. He flirts with Vanessa, sidelines Cadi at work, and recommends Vanessa for a position (or something work-related, I honestly stopped caring). And listen—this could have worked as a plot. This is literally the setup for grovel. I was ready.
But the grovel never arrives.
When Cadi finally confronts him, Gray immediately goes defensive and cruel. He tells her she’s not special. That he could find someone prettier, smarter, better. Just casually drops that grenade and walks away. Those words should’ve haunted the book. They should’ve mattered. They absolutely did not.
Cadi wants a DNA test and suddenly Gray gains critical thinking skills. “Wait… Tomos does look like me.” Groundbreaking. He then feels so bad he throws up, which I guess is the book’s version of accountability.
From there, the story derails into long chapters about Gray’s family trauma. At this point, the original conflict is barely breathing. The book forgets what it asked us to care about. Gray still hasn’t apologized properly. He hasn’t grovelled even once. But now the narrative wants sympathy for him.
And Cadi? She becomes a full-time caretaker. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. She insists she hasn’t forgiven him, but every interaction says otherwise. Everything revolves around Gray—his pain, his needs, his healing. Meanwhile, the fact that he ignored his child, made Tomos feel unwanted and verbally shredded his wife gets brushed aside.
What really didn’t sit right with me is that Cadi stays angry at her sister (which, fair), but Gray—the man who believed the lie instantly, hurt their child, and chose cruelty every step of the way—gets grace, patience, and care. The math isn’t mathing. Maybe she did forgive her later on, I did like I said, not finish the book.
Also: Tomos is supposedly 5–6 years old, but he often reads like he’s 10. He speaks and reacts in ways that pulled me out of the story repeatedly. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe some kids are philosophical adults. But it felt off.
By the time I hit 60%, the book had lost its spine. No emotional payoff. No accountability. No redemption arc worth staying for. Just guilt, and a female lead shrinking herself to make room for a man who never earned it.
The writing itself is fine—just very cliché and overly dramatic in a way that didn’t work for me. Combined with the lack of grovel and the abandoned plot, I was done.
So yeah.
DNF.
Not terrible.
Not good.
And absolutely not what it promised to be.
This book isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read.
But it’s standing close enough to that podium to feel the heat.
I went in curious. The blurb promised betrayal, regret, groveling. I wanted to see how a man could possibly come back from this. Short answer: he doesn’t.
The story opens with Gray suddenly turning cold toward his wife, Cadi, and their son, Tomos. Why? Because Cadi’s sister Regan tells him Tomos might not be his. And Gray—successful adult man with a brain—does zero follow-up. No questions. No proof. No DNA test. He just… accepts it as fact and emotionally checks out of his family.
Instead of asking his wife a single question, he decides the mature solution is psychological warfare. He flirts with Vanessa, sidelines Cadi at work, and recommends Vanessa for a position (or something work-related, I honestly stopped caring). And listen—this could have worked as a plot. This is literally the setup for grovel. I was ready.
But the grovel never arrives.
When Cadi finally confronts him, Gray immediately goes defensive and cruel. He tells her she’s not special. That he could find someone prettier, smarter, better. Just casually drops that grenade and walks away. Those words should’ve haunted the book. They should’ve mattered. They absolutely did not.
Cadi wants a DNA test and suddenly Gray gains critical thinking skills. “Wait… Tomos does look like me.” Groundbreaking. He then feels so bad he throws up, which I guess is the book’s version of accountability.
From there, the story derails into long chapters about Gray’s family trauma. At this point, the original conflict is barely breathing. The book forgets what it asked us to care about. Gray still hasn’t apologized properly. He hasn’t grovelled even once. But now the narrative wants sympathy for him.
And Cadi? She becomes a full-time caretaker. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. She insists she hasn’t forgiven him, but every interaction says otherwise. Everything revolves around Gray—his pain, his needs, his healing. Meanwhile, the fact that he ignored his child, made Tomos feel unwanted and verbally shredded his wife gets brushed aside.
What really didn’t sit right with me is that Cadi stays angry at her sister (which, fair), but Gray—the man who believed the lie instantly, hurt their child, and chose cruelty every step of the way—gets grace, patience, and care. The math isn’t mathing. Maybe she did forgive her later on, I did like I said, not finish the book.
Also: Tomos is supposedly 5–6 years old, but he often reads like he’s 10. He speaks and reacts in ways that pulled me out of the story repeatedly. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe some kids are philosophical adults. But it felt off.
By the time I hit 60%, the book had lost its spine. No emotional payoff. No accountability. No redemption arc worth staying for. Just guilt, and a female lead shrinking herself to make room for a man who never earned it.
The writing itself is fine—just very cliché and overly dramatic in a way that didn’t work for me. Combined with the lack of grovel and the abandoned plot, I was done.
So yeah.
DNF.
Not terrible.
Not good.
And absolutely not what it promised to be.
December 1, 2025
3.5/5
Tenemos la historia de una pareja que se conoce desde niños, prácticamente toda su vida han estado juntos, se aman mucho. Las últimas semanas, Cadie ha notado que Gray se ha alejado, ha estado distante, llega tarde del trabajo, ignora a su hijo y casi no le habla, lo que le duele. Decide confrontarlo, pero lo que le dice él, no es algo que ell ase esperara.
Spoiler:
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cuando empecé el libro, la verdad le traía un coraje muy intenso a Gray, quería golpearlo. Conforme vamos avanzando, vemos como fue su historia y su versión de los hechos. Me reconforta que nunca pensó en otra mujer, NUNCA ha pensado en nadie que no sea Cadie, pero las personas heridas buscan herir y fue lo que hizo. Coqueteó con Vanessa solo una vez y fue para herir/poner celosa a Cadie, ya que estaba celoso de Callum y pensaba que ella lo había engañado.
Su historia infantil era dolorosa, difícil y lo afectó mucho en su vida adulta. Me encantó que a pesar de la distancia, Cadie le dijo que tenía que ir a terapia para no afectar a la familia y él lo hizo. Vamos viendo todo su proceso, como va dando pasos, dejando sus fantasmas y traumas que lo tenían atado, detrás. Mi parte favorita eran las notitas/cartitas que le dejaba a Cadie🥹 Súper bonitas y con mucho sentimiento. Si bien, no se sentí que Cadie lo hiciera arrastrarse, si lo dejó sufrir, pero por cosas ajenas a ella y lo acompaño en su proceso. Se convirtió en el padre que nunca tuvo y en el esposo que Cadie merecía, por eso lo perdoné. JAJAJAJA no perdono a cualquiera y a él si lo hice, me conmovió y siento que nos muestra esta parte realista de como los traumas, el dolor, los fantasmas del pasado nos pueden perturbar en la vida adulta y que debemos hacer para lograr eliminarlos de nuestras vidas. Pasaron años y el continuaba en terapia porque lo ayudaba y está bien. Grayson te amo.
Tenemos la historia de una pareja que se conoce desde niños, prácticamente toda su vida han estado juntos, se aman mucho. Las últimas semanas, Cadie ha notado que Gray se ha alejado, ha estado distante, llega tarde del trabajo, ignora a su hijo y casi no le habla, lo que le duele. Decide confrontarlo, pero lo que le dice él, no es algo que ell ase esperara.
Spoiler:
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cuando empecé el libro, la verdad le traía un coraje muy intenso a Gray, quería golpearlo. Conforme vamos avanzando, vemos como fue su historia y su versión de los hechos. Me reconforta que nunca pensó en otra mujer, NUNCA ha pensado en nadie que no sea Cadie, pero las personas heridas buscan herir y fue lo que hizo. Coqueteó con Vanessa solo una vez y fue para herir/poner celosa a Cadie, ya que estaba celoso de Callum y pensaba que ella lo había engañado.
Su historia infantil era dolorosa, difícil y lo afectó mucho en su vida adulta. Me encantó que a pesar de la distancia, Cadie le dijo que tenía que ir a terapia para no afectar a la familia y él lo hizo. Vamos viendo todo su proceso, como va dando pasos, dejando sus fantasmas y traumas que lo tenían atado, detrás. Mi parte favorita eran las notitas/cartitas que le dejaba a Cadie🥹 Súper bonitas y con mucho sentimiento. Si bien, no se sentí que Cadie lo hiciera arrastrarse, si lo dejó sufrir, pero por cosas ajenas a ella y lo acompaño en su proceso. Se convirtió en el padre que nunca tuvo y en el esposo que Cadie merecía, por eso lo perdoné. JAJAJAJA no perdono a cualquiera y a él si lo hice, me conmovió y siento que nos muestra esta parte realista de como los traumas, el dolor, los fantasmas del pasado nos pueden perturbar en la vida adulta y que debemos hacer para lograr eliminarlos de nuestras vidas. Pasaron años y el continuaba en terapia porque lo ayudaba y está bien. Grayson te amo.
September 8, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐ : This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Emotional Neglect/Abuse
🚩Mental Health
🚩Mention of Off Page Sexual Assault
Tropes:
💕MF Romance
💕Medical Romance
💕Misunderstanding
💕Grovel to HEA
💕Marriage in Trouble
💕OW Drama
Spice Level: 🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
*************************************************************************
Summary:
FMC and MMC are having issues in their marriage. The FMC isn't sure what is going on until she finds out her husband has betrayed her. But why did he do it? The MMC has made a story up in his mind that causes him to destroy everything that he held dear. This is a story that tells about what happens when the truth is revealed and the story you told yourself is shown to be a lie. How do you fix what you have broken?
Review:
I have read this book a few times now and I still enjoy it. The writer takes you on a journey to understand why the MMC has destroyed his marriage. There are moments when you will want this marriage to end and maybe it should have---then there are moments when secrets are revealed, and you cheer for the FMC and her strength.
Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐ : This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Emotional Neglect/Abuse
🚩Mental Health
🚩Mention of Off Page Sexual Assault
Tropes:
💕MF Romance
💕Medical Romance
💕Misunderstanding
💕Grovel to HEA
💕Marriage in Trouble
💕OW Drama
Spice Level: 🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
*************************************************************************
Summary:
FMC and MMC are having issues in their marriage. The FMC isn't sure what is going on until she finds out her husband has betrayed her. But why did he do it? The MMC has made a story up in his mind that causes him to destroy everything that he held dear. This is a story that tells about what happens when the truth is revealed and the story you told yourself is shown to be a lie. How do you fix what you have broken?
Review:
I have read this book a few times now and I still enjoy it. The writer takes you on a journey to understand why the MMC has destroyed his marriage. There are moments when you will want this marriage to end and maybe it should have---then there are moments when secrets are revealed, and you cheer for the FMC and her strength.
Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
June 27, 2025
Not terrible
I'm not a fan of the structure.
It's not quite a heavy read, but it's not light either.
Too many people are interfering in the relationship.
And if it delved a bit deeper into Cadi's side of things, I think it would've been better. Because from where I'm sitting, she was not innocent in this. The reason Gray was able to believe it was because of the optics she allowed to be skewed. The fact that she had a man hanging about, as closely as he was, was never addressed. And by rights, the only issue I took from Gray's reaction that a grudge could be held was his treatment of Tomos.
I liked how she handled her situation in the heat of things, but not how she wasn't involved at all in fixing things. Marriage is between two people. It takes two to heal a marriage, even if the damage is created by one. In this case, she was also responsible for what went down. Certainly not how Gray reacted, but because there was a reason for him to feel threatened in the first place.
Eh, I don't know that I'd recommend it. But it wasn't the worst book. It's also really short. But I won't read further, either.
I'm not a fan of the structure.
It's not quite a heavy read, but it's not light either.
Too many people are interfering in the relationship.
And if it delved a bit deeper into Cadi's side of things, I think it would've been better. Because from where I'm sitting, she was not innocent in this. The reason Gray was able to believe it was because of the optics she allowed to be skewed. The fact that she had a man hanging about, as closely as he was, was never addressed. And by rights, the only issue I took from Gray's reaction that a grudge could be held was his treatment of Tomos.
I liked how she handled her situation in the heat of things, but not how she wasn't involved at all in fixing things. Marriage is between two people. It takes two to heal a marriage, even if the damage is created by one. In this case, she was also responsible for what went down. Certainly not how Gray reacted, but because there was a reason for him to feel threatened in the first place.
Eh, I don't know that I'd recommend it. But it wasn't the worst book. It's also really short. But I won't read further, either.
March 25, 2025
It’s clear that the author made a good effort, but the glaring mistakes, along with the way the story started and progressed, made it hard to fully enjoy. We get brief glimpses of the hero and heroine’s friendship, but the love, chemistry, and attraction between them aren’t developed enough. Suddenly, they’re married with a child, and there are some marital issues thrown in—yet the buildup just wasn’t there. Because of that, the angst felt underwhelming, and the emotional impact didn’t hit as hard as it could have.
The huge reveal and all the back-and-forth felt like the novel was missing a significant portion of the story, almost as if we’d jumped right into the middle of it. Additionally, the character dialogue was inconsistent. The heroine’s stepfather starts off speaking normally, but then suddenly develops a Scottish or Irish accent. The hero’s accent also becomes more pronounced as the story goes on, which felt jarring and distracting.
The huge reveal and all the back-and-forth felt like the novel was missing a significant portion of the story, almost as if we’d jumped right into the middle of it. Additionally, the character dialogue was inconsistent. The heroine’s stepfather starts off speaking normally, but then suddenly develops a Scottish or Irish accent. The hero’s accent also becomes more pronounced as the story goes on, which felt jarring and distracting.
September 1, 2025
This is a marriage in trouble story. It's the story of Cadi and Gray who meets as kids, get into a relationship in their teens but we see the story play out when they are in their mid-30s. The story kicks off with Cadi thinking Gray is having an affair with his co-worker. What we also get to see is that Gray had thought Cadi was stepping out on their marriage first which is why he behaves the way he did. Gray has doubts about whether their son actually belongs to him which puts their marriage into a complete tailspin! Gray realises too late that he has been wrong but the damage has been done and he needs to grovel hard to earn Cadi's forgiveness. Not all is how it seems however!
I enjoyed this for a bit of a different and pretty quick read!
March 19, 2025
I’ve read maybe books similar to this troupe… but this on is topof the line PERFECTION
I will be keeping this one close forever. I read it all in one go, could not put it down!!!!! It’s a wonderful, gutt twisting, tear jerking story of communication failure and redemption that will hook you in the first chapter! I Love Love Love the characters even the smallest ones are magnificently formed to the point you feel like you were right there growing up with them, at their wedding, the kids birthdays and funerals the entire while. Fantastically executed plot! I will be reading more from the author!
I will be keeping this one close forever. I read it all in one go, could not put it down!!!!! It’s a wonderful, gutt twisting, tear jerking story of communication failure and redemption that will hook you in the first chapter! I Love Love Love the characters even the smallest ones are magnificently formed to the point you feel like you were right there growing up with them, at their wedding, the kids birthdays and funerals the entire while. Fantastically executed plot! I will be reading more from the author!
March 25, 2025
Cheating = H believed that the h cheated so he decided to revenge cheat, or imply that he was cheating. H knew h was standing in a doorway and leaned in to kiss OW.
h sees H with OW = see above. H later says he did not actually kiss the OW, but if h had stayed, he would have followed through. Intent to cheat undoubtedly rather than be a mature adult and confront h who he thought might be cheating.
OW drama = OW is actually very minor in the story but when she is present, she is rude to the h and condescending. Comeuppance? Not much really, but she fades away.
Grovel = H does grovel and has to earn his way back with the h. It is sufficient grovel.
Read on Wattpad.
h sees H with OW = see above. H later says he did not actually kiss the OW, but if h had stayed, he would have followed through. Intent to cheat undoubtedly rather than be a mature adult and confront h who he thought might be cheating.
OW drama = OW is actually very minor in the story but when she is present, she is rude to the h and condescending. Comeuppance? Not much really, but she fades away.
Grovel = H does grovel and has to earn his way back with the h. It is sufficient grovel.
Read on Wattpad.
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